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In a move to stem the use of antibiotics when not required Public Health England has spent £2m on a Public Information campaign to “Keep antibiotics working”.

My initial reaction to this campaign is that it in no way reflects the enormity of the impending problem.

Considering that in the 1980s deaths from AIDS peaked a 1500 in the UK (BBC Online, 2001). By comparison,it is estimated at least 5,000 deaths are caused every year in England because antibiotics no longer work for some infections (Public Health England). The former resulted in the ‘Don’t Die of Ignorance’ campaign created by TBWA. The latter in the ad above.

In today’s global world, where you hear of people going abroad for a holiday and bringing back a stash of Antibiotics for personal use. Maybe a good ‘SCARE’ is just what the doctor should order.

Though there is some evidence that scaring people doesn’t always result in a change their behavior. See the interview with with Dr Sarah Graham (University of Leicester) for more on this.